


Worth a Shot

by AlwaysCryOverSpilledMilk



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Doubt, Getting Together, M/M, Making Out, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 18:57:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13770447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysCryOverSpilledMilk/pseuds/AlwaysCryOverSpilledMilk
Summary: When everyone turns thirteen, they wake up with a tattoo of the first thing their soulmate will say to them. Jughead and Sweet Pea are a little weary.





	Worth a Shot

Jughead wakes up abruptly just as the clock strikes midnight. He looks at the clock and groans, figuring he probably won’t get any sleep after this. He sits up, rubbing the bleariness out of his eyes and realizes it’s his birthday. The big 1-3. Only a moment after having this revelation, Jughead feels a burning pain erupting along his pants’ waistline. He winces, pulling the hem of his pajama pants down slightly and using the moonlight coming through the window to look down at the spot. It looks like something is being written in across his skin, which leaves him in utter confusion. 

Jughead furrows his brow in contemplation. He thinks this kind of thing seems distantly familiar, but he can't remember where he’s seen it before. He decides to just get some sleep for now and ask his dad about it in the morning.

\---

“When did you get that?” FP asks, a weary look in his eyes as he scans the fresh tattoo on his son’s skin. The intricate, fancy script writes out,  _ “Jones, you wanna come with? We’re going down to the quarry.” _ He’s got a faint feeling whoever Jughead’s soulmate is will end up being a Serpent, if the mention of the quarry is anything to go by. FP isn’t too sure he’s alright with his son being with a Serpent.

“It just showed up last night! It woke me up ‘cuz it hurt so much.”

FP sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to explain this to you, Jug,” he says. “Look, it’s something almost everyone goes through when they’re your age."

“But not everyone?” 

“No, not everyone. It’s rare for someone to not have one, but it happens.”

“So what is it?”

“It’s- okay, it means you’ve got a soulmate, kid. It’s the first thing that soulmate is gonna say to you.”

“I… I have a… soulmate?” Jughead asks, even more confused than he had been before the conversation.

“Whoever says that to you is the person you’re meant to be with, Jug,” FP explains, looking more and more exasperated with the topic. 

“Do you have one, Dad?” 

FP’s eyes shut in what Jughead has a faint feeling is frustration with a touch of pain. “Don’t worry about that, kiddo.”

Jughead doesn’t ask again.

\---

Roughly a month prior to this, another boy wakes up in the middle of the night for the same reason. Sweet Pea shouts as the searing pain begins, quickly jumping up out of bed. He runs to the bathroom, flicks on a light, and turns to the mirror. He tilts his head to the side to watch as beautiful letters are carved into the right side of his neck. 

_ “Uh, I don’t have my beach bod yet,” _ it reads once it’s done.

Sweet Pea frowns, knowing what it is. He’s heard all about the way you know who your soulmate is. He just isn’t so sure he wants one. He’s never been that into the idea of romance, anyway. What’s the point? 

He guesses it would be cool to know who it ends up being, at least. He’s just not positive he’d pursue it after finding out. 

\---

It’s only three years later that the boys finally hear the words inscribed on their skin aloud. Jughead is with a recent acquaintance, Toni, in the Red and Black office. He wants to join forces to bring the newspaper back, but is interrupted while broaching the subject with her. 

“Topaz, let’s bounce,” a new voice comes through the door. Jughead recognizes him to be one of the other kids in the Serpents, Sweet Pea. The other boy turns to him and asks, “Jones, you wanna come with? We’re going down to the quarry.”

The tattoo below Jughead’s abdomen tingles, and he just barely stops his jaw from falling open in shock. He replies, “Uh, I don’t have my beach bod yet.” The words continue to tingle as he sees Sweet Pea’s smirk fall from his lips. 

“Are you kidding me? You?  _ You. _ ” Sweet Pea looks incredulous, an expression Jughead had fought off himself. 

“I’m not any more thrilled than you are, believe me.” 

Toni and the two boys that had showed up with Sweet Pea look at the two of them in confusion. “Um, I’m sorry, did we miss something?” Toni interrupts.

Instead of really answering, Jughead pulls the hem of his shirt up and his pants down just enough for the tattoo to be visible. Sweet Pea follows along and pulls the collar of his shirt down, exposing his own. The other three kids look at the words written on them both and each laugh at them.

“Yeah, thanks for that,” Sweet Pea says, sneering at them all. 

“You can’t deny this is funny.”

“It’s not!”

“Whatever,” Jughead mutters. He grabs his bag and leaves the room with a huff.

\---

Thirty minutes later, Jughead is walking alone on the side of the road. He thinks he should head home, but he continues to wander aimlessly instead. He ignores the cars moving quickly past him and doesn’t look up until he notices a motorcycle moving slowly beside him out of the corner of his eye. Jughead glances over and rolls his eyes when he sees Sweet Pea on the bike, watching him. 

“Need something?” Jughead drawls.

“Look, Jones, as much as I hate this… we should talk about it,” Sweet Pea replies, breaking beside him. “Get on.”

“What?” Jughead asks in mild disbelief.

“I said get the fuck on the bike. Before I change my mind and ditch." Jughead shrugs and climbs on behind Sweet Pea. “You might wanna hold on,” the Serpent adds with a smirk.

Jughead quirks a brow and awkwardly laces his arms around Sweet Pea’s waist. As the taller boy revs his engine a few times and speeds off, Jughead’s arms tighten. He tells himself it’s just because he doesn’t want to fall off.

\---

They eventually arrive at the Jones’ trailer. Sweet Pea parks his bike on the side of the road in front of it before they head inside. He flops down on the couch, Jughead opting instead to pace across the small room in front of him. 

“I don’t know what to do, I mean- god, what’ll my dad say?” Jughead says, more to himself than his companion. 

“Who gives a fuck?” Sweet Pea says, pausing a moment before adding, “Well, okay,  _ I _ do. If FP isn’t cool with this he’d probably actually kill me, so, yeah. His opinion kinda matters, fuck.”

“Dude, I don’t even know if I  _ want _ a soulmate. And I don’t even really know you, what if we actually don’t work together at all? What if-”

Sweet Pea cuts his rambling off. “Damn, Jones. Chill. I’m freaking out, too, but like. Shut the hell up for a minute, man.”

Jughead glares at him in response.

“I mean…” Sweet Pea trails off briefly. He shrugs. “I’m down for a little experimental making out?”

The glare intensifies.

“Come on, Jones! How can we know if this is even fuckin’ worth a try if we just sit around with our dicks in our hands, not  _ doing _ anything!” 

“Whatever, that’s stupid,” Jughead mutters, although he knows he isn’t totally against the idea.

“No,  _ you’re _ stupid, dude.” Jughead doesn’t have time to respond before he’s suddenly grabbed and pulled into Sweet Pea’s lap on the couch. 

“I-”

“Shut it, Jones,” Sweet Pea whispers as he moves forward and kisses Jughead. They both immediately melt into each other, the kiss quickly turning more passionate, intimate. Jughead’s hands move up to Sweet Pea’s shoulders, his left going to run along where he knows the soul mark is on his neck. The Serpent shudders under the touch, his own hands moving to Jug’s waist. He, too, lets his fingers ghost over his soulmate’s tattoo. He feels himself getting hard and rolls his hips upward against Jughead, rubbing their crotches together for a moment. He thinks it might’ve been a bit much until the other boy grinds down to meet him. They share a moan before breaking for air. “Fuck,” Sweet Pea says, voice deeper in his arousal.

“It’s worth it,” Jughead breathes out. “Definitely worth it.”

 

 

**FIN.**


End file.
